The Price For Love
by Wisdonia
Summary: Being forced to marry,someone threatening his life,and the pressure of becoming the king, is proven too much for Oliver and it's making him stressed out to the max. But with the help of a unlikely friend,he manages through it all,but can this new friend be quite as trusting as he seems?((a mixture of 1p/2p but it's mainly 2p FrUk, better description inside))
1. Chapter 1

{{Oh hello there! This is my first long fic in a long time and I would love any comments and such from you all! I told myself that I will get back into writing fics and this is is the first one I started with! This is a 2p FrUk, with a little 1p/2p UsUk and I welcome all reviews and comments! Oh and sorry for the bad summary hehe ^^;}}

**Summary:** Oliver is heir to the throne and a very wild spirit,who would rather relax in the forest then spend hours in a room he's being force to marry but that's not the least of his problems when someone threatening to take over the throne at any costs necessary. But aside from the worry for his life and his home,Oliver meets a unlikely man who helps him through the rough time,but can he be as trustworthy as he seems?

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Being the first one to wake up was not unusual at all for Oliver, who always rose an hour after the sun did. It gave him the freedom of not being bothered by servants or his father in the morning and it gave him time to sneak away. Since he was a child, he had the habit off slipping away unnoticed to go play in the forest outside the palace walls, without a care in the world. He would always come back with his clothes dirty and his unusual pink hair messy with twigs and leaves. It always gave his old nursemaid something to fret about as she cleaned him before his father found him.

Since he was a child, Oliver always felt connected to the forest and its many wonders. Even though he didn't go far into it, he always told his mother he felt the magic that she always told him that surrounded every living thing in it. It was odd when rabbits, birds, and other small animals will come to the child and stay near him as if protecting him from harm. He remembered his mother once saying it was because of Oliver's good nature that animals and people enjoyed his company. Just the small part of the forest made the young man happy every day when he visited his favorite spot and either read or napped. Numerous times, he would tell himself that, if he could, he would stay in the forest forever.

But now, being a young man in his early twenties and the heir to the throne, Oliver barely had the time to sneak away to his favorite place. He went on his morning walk the minute he had the chance; only dressing in simple trousers and a shirt. The halls of the palace were quiet with no trace of any life and the only sounds that were made were the lite footsteps of the prince. Slipping through the kitchen and out the back, Oliver managed to find his secret passage without any trouble. Once he was past the wall and was greeted with trees and grass, the prince's relaxation began. He found his usual spot by a large oak tree and plopped himself down with soft chuckled. The sound of early birds greeting the morning and feel of the morning sun was blissful. Even though it was still pretty close to the Eastern wall of the palace, the young man still enjoyed this minuscule freedom he had before his studies began for the day.

Since he became of age at 18, his father, the king of the North, began to work him to the bone to shape him into a proper king. Every day started the same: after breakfast, it was two hours of philosophy and history, then another two hour of sword practice before lunch; after lunch came his French lessons then a period of studying until dinnertime. As much as Oliver enjoyed reading and learning new things, he hated how much was put into one day. If he could, the pink haired man would stay here in his serene spot in the forest where he didn't have to worry about learning new languages and who ruled during what time period. Oliver closed his eyes and sighed, ignoring everything in his mind and letting the sound of morning birds relax him before he had to start the day. Nearly two hours passed and the prince fell asleep, but it was cut short when he heard a familiar voice call out to him.

"Oliver! Oliver I know you're out there! Come on, we have to get you back before your father wakes up." It was the voice of Oliver's good friend, Matthew; a stable boy the prince grew up and became the best of friends. With a sigh, he reluctantly lifted himself to his feet and ran out from his hiding spot to the opening of the wall where his friend greeted him. The young man with curly blond hair that always had an odd curl coming out in the front, and bright purple eyes was slightly glaring at the prince." Oliver, you're my best friend and I care about you, but I am not going to be the one who will explain to your dad why his son is all messy!" Matthew huffed at his friend when he was greeted with a chuckled. "I'm sorry, Matthew. I hope you can forgive me for making you worry so much." Oliver knew how much his best friend would worry about him, even when he told the stable boy how he could easily take care of himself. The other man sighed, frowning nervously, "I-I just don't want you to get into trouble, Oliver. I wouldn't be a-able to forgive myself if anything happened to you..." The prince sighed; seeing how much he did worry his friend with his little sneak aways. He patted Matthews shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, "I'm sorry, Matthew. You're right, I should be more careful when I come out here but I promise to tell you beforehand okay? So if anything DOES happen to me, you can tell everyone where I was. Now come on, I can smell the bacon being cooked from here."

The two of them headed back to the palace, managing to get past guards and servants to reach the prince's room. Once there, Matthew waved 'good-bye' to his stubborn best friend and left the hallway. Oliver dressed in his proper clothing of a white shirt, brown trousers, and a light blue vest that had the simple details that showed his higher status. He then fastened the 3 multiple earring: 2 studs and simple dangling ones that he was quite proud of. Most men his age didn't wear such jewelry unless they were the rich flamboyant type or a high class, as blunt as it is, whore. But his odd features of the pinkish blond hair, bright blue-green eyes, and multiple freckles, the piercings made the prince even more attractive to men and women. Oliver knew that many loved and envied his looks that were so uncommon to most people in the kingdom, but never really commented on it. Many noble families came to the palace in hopes to marry off their daughters and sons to him, but he always turned them down, much to the king's disliking. Oliver had his reasons, but never really got the chance to tell his father that without them getting into some kind of argument. Despite being a prince, he was still a young man who wanted to enjoy his free time before settling down with someone.

After brushing his hair, there was a knock at the door with a young woman's voice speaking up to tell him breakfast was ready. The prince thanked her as he slipped on his clean shoes and walked down to the dining hall where he joined his father and his morning teacher for breakfast. "Good morning, father, good morning, Lord Albion." He greeted the two older men with a smile as he sat down and served himself a good helping of eggs, fruit, and bacon. Lord Albion nodded to him and his father spoke first, "Oliver, you've been outside in the forest again, haven't you?" His fork froze right before it reached his mouth as the young prince was about to protest before a hand when up. "Do not argue with me. I know you've been out there this morning because I can still smell the wood on you, and you also have a leaf sticking out on the back of your head." Slightly embarrassed, Oliver quickly found the leaf and ruffled it out of his hair. He gave a sheepish smile to his father and stuffed his mouth with food before he said something stupid. "Oliver," the gruff old king sighed, "you are no longer a child. I am telling you this once, for you own good; stay out of that forest. You need to start getting your head out of the clouds and focus on your studies." Blue eyes fell to the table as the prince lowered his head slightly, "Father, I understand but I don't go far. I still stay close to where I can still see the palace wall and I always come back before breakfast." His father slightly glared at his son, his voice raising a bit, "Oliver if you do not stop this childish defiance I will be forced to have a guard stay by your side from the moment you wake until you fall asleep. I am not hearing any of this anymore and if you continue to argue I will forbid you from leaving your room except for your studies and your meals!" Oliver's bright blue eyes widened in protest but it took a lot for him to hold his tongue and continue eating. "Look, I'm saying this because I don't want to see anything bad happen to you. Your mother would have wanted you to be safe as well as married." The king stood up from the table, with two of his personal guards ready at the door, "Finish your breakfast then start your lessons with Lord Albion. Your uncle is coming this afternoon so your sword lessons are cancelled for today. Good day to you both." With that, the king left the room, leaving Oliver and his tutor. Lovely, not only did he get scolded for doing something he loved but his least favorite uncle is visiting; the only good thing that came from it all was he got out of sword fighting.

Today's lessons were about the government and how it all works under the king's ruling, but the young prince was too distracted to really pay attention. He heard Lord Albion speak, but his attention was directed towards the window that had a small view of the forest. "Your Highness, as much as I like to speak of our kingdom's government, it's meaningless when the pupil is not paying attention." The older man with the crooked nose dropped a large book on the desk to snap the younger man out of his daydreaming. "Forgive me, Lord Albion, I-I just have a lot on my mind today..." He rubbed the back of his neck and gave his cheeky smile, but the teacher wasn't going to have any more disruptions. "Well then, before I continue with today's lessons, care to share what has gotten you so distracted?" Playing with one of his dangling earrings, Oliver looked back out the window, "It's nothing really...It's my usual problems with my father...besides his usual problems concerning why I've been turning down suitors and going through all this studying, I don't see why the worst one of it all is me going into the forest. I've been going there for years and nothing bad has happened to me, so why is it so bad?"

Lord Albion sighed, grabbing a chair and sitting across the desk from the prince, "Your father means well, Young Master, but he's afraid your naivety will get you hurt. You're a young a smart young man who should be focusing on your future and getting married. As for the forest, he's right, it is dangerous. It may not seem so but out in the vast forests, anything can happen. There are wild animals that can kill you, men that will kill you for your treasures or sell you off for a hefty price, and not to mention all the dark magic that can change a man in minutes. It's all bad news and your father wants to keep you safe from harm, especially after what happened to the late queen." Oliver frowned, remembering how his mother's life was lost in the forest and they had to search all through the day to find her. It happened just days after his 18th birthday and he'll never forget how deathly quiet the palace was afterwards. "I understand... I just wish he wasn't so hard on me. I am a grown man and can make decisions on my own." The elder man grumbled, "Well then, that is up to you, Young Master, but for now. Let's focus on your studies."

After two hours of learning nothing but governing, the freckled man was relieved to run out of the study. He still had time before lunch came so Oliver decided to sneak his way back down to the opening of the wall and to his favorite spot. Heading down the stairs he was so close to escaping outside, until his father called to him. "Oliver! Just in time! I was about to send a maid up to get you so we can greet your uncle together." The prince mentally cursed himself for being so slow then joined by his father's side, watching as the grand door opened and his uncle stepped in. The large man, with a curly reddish brown beard, came and greeted his friend in a large hug with big smiles. Now, the man wasn't actually the king's brother, he was just a very rich noble who was like a close brother to the king. Though, there was something about him that Oliver just didn't like, besides the smell of alcohol that was always on his breath. "Alaric! My old friend! It's been too long since I've seen your messed up face in my home!" The king was happy and it definitely showed in his pale blue eyes as he shakes hands with his old friend. "You never change, Thomas, still the same gruff king as always!" As the two friends reconnected, Oliver noticed a tall young man, with bright blond hair, with a cowlick sticking out, and bright sky blue eyes, who definitely looked pretty impressed with their home. Alaric noticed he was looking at the other man and decided to introduce them, "Ah yes, Thomas, Oliver, I would like you to introduce my son, Alfred, he practically begged me let him come and I got soft and gave in."

The young man, who towered Oliver by a good foot and half, smiled brightly and held a hand out to Oliver. "Nice t' meet you, Oliver!" The smile made the prince slightly blush as he returned the handshake, smiling as well. "Same goes to you, Alfred." With a chuckle from the king, he gestured to his friend, "Dinner will be at seven o' clock, and so that gives us the afternoon till then. Oliver, how about you show Alfred around the palace while I catch up with my old friend here." In laymen's terms, it really meant, 'stay put in the palace and don't go running off like you usually do.' The freckled man sighed but nodded, "Alright, father...Alfred, if you would accompany me..." The other man with the sunny hair nodded and began to follow Oliver down an opposite hall from the one the king and his guest headed down.

Oliver wasn't use to being a tour guide, but he did enjoy meeting new people and Alfred was quite the nice guy. "So, Alfred, is this your first time up in the Northern Kingdom?" He looked up at his guest, making his earrings jingle a bit. Alfred shook his head and chuckled, "No, it's my 4th time in the kingdom but this is my first time in the palace. My dad always told me stories about when the king and he were young boys and how they always got into trouble. It's a pleasure to meet the famous man in my dad's stories." The taller man smiled brightly, showing his appreciation then spoke again, "So, besides the whole princely duties you probably have, is there anything you like to do around here?" That made Oliver chuckle, "Well, I like to read, sew, and when I get the chance to, I like to bake. My father said it's not very becoming of a prince and it's not really something a future king does in his spare time. I can't help it though, it's very enjoyable and I love it." Alfred hummed, "Sounds pretty nice t' me. I mean, I love taking care of the horses back home much to my dad's protesting. He says there's people who do that already but I like being around the large animals and like t' give the stable kid a break." Both of them were all smiles, which proved that their new friendship started out pretty good. For the remainder of the afternoon, the two of them roamed through the garden, explored the palace and finally, rested in the library until they were called to dinner.

Dinner was surprisingly much more enjoyable then it had been in a long time for the pink haired man. It was lively with all four of the men talking and laughing together and that made Oliver happy as he ate his food. It was during their dessert time that the king spoke up, "Ah yes! Oliver, Alaric and I have been discussing a lot about you. About how excellent your studies are going these pass five years, "He sipped his wine, letting his friend speak up, "Thomas tells me you're learning French. How's that coming along?" The freckled young man nervously spoke up, "It's not coming along very well. I'm having trouble pronouncing the words and my tutor gets quite annoyed whenever I mess up. Though, I don't think I'm going use French anytime soon." The other man chuckled then looked at the king, "I think we should tell him now, Thomas, before it's too late." Oliver blinked in confusion, glancing at Alfred before looking at his father. "Tell me what?" The king put his glass down and leaned back into his seat, "Alaric and I have decided that you'll be married to Alfred this coming spring, Oliver."


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! I got my second chapter up now! :'D Enjoy!

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Oliver's bright blue eyes widened as he looked at his father and his friend in shock and disbelief, unable to speak. They surely didn't take time in deciding the prince's future and he didn't know whether to be appalled or angry. When he found his voice, the freckled man spoke hastily, "Th-This is so...unexpected, father. Umm...can I speak with you in private, please?" He was close to yelling at his father but didn't want to be rude in front of their guests. The king gave a displeased look but then stood up, "Excuse us for a few moments; this will only be a minute." The two then walked out of the room and into the lounge. Once the door was shut, Oliver was the first to speak up. "Father, please reconsider this whole marriage. I barely know Alfred. He's a very nice man but if I'm going to marry someone I want to at least know them first. Besides, a marriage with another man will become quite complicated later on in the future." He was suddenly nervous as he thought about marriage and being with someone he just met. His father waved a hand, "That's why you will be spending your afternoons with Alfred until then. He's going to be a temporary guest in our home and you will get to know him." Oliver glared, not liking the fact that he was not only being forced into marriage, but his free time will be taken over. Not that he hated Alfred or anything; he just didn't want to marry someone his father chose for him. "With all due respect, Father, I don't appreciate you treating me like I'm a spoiled princess who dreams of marriage! I don't want to marry anyone so soon! Like most men my age, I would like to live a little before settling down!"

The king snapped at his son, "Do not raise your voice to me, young man! With this marriage, it will bind you to one of the richest noble houses and give more opportunities to expand our land on the North Eastern villages!" Of course this had nothing to do with the young prince's feelings or thoughts on the matter; it was only about the expansion of his father's power. Oliver rolled his eyes and sighed, running his fingers through his pink hair, "I can't believe this! You didn't even ask me about this and you made the final decision!" He didn't realize his voice was rising as he argued with the elder man, resulting with his father's deep voice coming out stern and strict. "Oliver Kirkland that is enough of this childishness! You are going to follow orders or I will personally make sure that you will not leave your room until the wedding! Do I make myself clear?" The prince was about to protest more, but the dark look in his father's eyes made him give up and look away in defeat. "Yes, father."

"Good. Now then, I'm going to rejoin with our guests and I don't want to hear any more of this for the rest of the evening." With that, his father left the lounge room, leaving Oliver alone to break down and cry. He never let anyone see him cry; it made him feel useless and weak in front of people so he always held it in until he was alone. The pink haired man suddenly felt sick and didn't want to return to entertain their guests, so he left the room, telling a nearby servant that he was retiring early for the night. He couldn't sleep with everything on his mind, no matter how much he tried to distract himself. Oliver decided to take a walk out in the garden since there was still day light out with the summer evening. The cool air was coming in and it felt wonderful against his freckled cheeks and soon he was relaxed. As he was walking around the large area, Oliver came across his secret pathway out to the forest. He stopped walking and stared at it for a second before looking back at the palace. Right now, he didn't want to be anywhere around his father, so the young man slipped through the secret hole and out to the woods. It made him happy to be greeted by the heavy scent of pine and the faint hooting of owls waking up from their slumber. He began to walk through the opening of the forest, but didn't pay attention to where he was or how far he was going. Oliver just climbed over large rocks and broken tree trunks until he stopped at a large stream.

He plopped down by the stream, laying back on the tree behind him and sighed, relaxing to the sounds of the running water. Even in the late evening, everything was serene and peaceful, with only the sounds of nature. Oliver watched the water flow over the rocks and soon he was joined by a doe that wasn't bothered by his presence at all as she began to drink. Dangerous or not, the forest was a place that was perfect for him to unwind and relieve his stress. He closed his eyes and just listened to everything, not thinking about anything but his own relaxation. The prince could have stayed there forever, without moving, until the sound of an arrow whizzed by, landing just inches near the doe. The animal darted off, being the immediate sign of danger as Oliver jumped to his feet to see where the arrow came from. It was too dark to clearly see anyone, he thought as he carefully moved around the trees. A twig cracked behind him and Oliver quickly turned around to see a small group of men raising a lantern to see him better. "Well now! We were expecting to find a nice buck but instead we found a pretty little rabbit!" One of them spoke up, making his friends chuckle as he gave a large smirk, "Tell me, little rabbit, why are you far from your home? Something as lovely as you shouldn't be out here in these dark woods." The prince stood his ground and glared at the group of men, despite the twist in his stomach rising. "I-I am not lost! I know exactly where I am and where my home is, I just wanted to take a walk." It was a quick lie but Oliver prayed hard to the gods that it would work, but it was greeted with a hum as the leader of the group stepped closer. "Oh? Well that's too bad for you, little rabbit, because you see, my friends and I are quite hungry here and someone like you will be perfect for us." The freckled man noticed the lustful and hungry look in the other men's eyes as they were looking upon him. He knew what they were thinking and he wasn't going to stick around any longer. "If any of you touch me I will make sure your punishment is severe!" That just made them laugh, making the twisted feeling in Oliver's stomach worse than before. There was no more time wasted as the leader turned to his men and ordered them to grab the prince and hold him down.

When the men came towards him, Oliver wasted no time as he began to run off deeper into the forest. The men caught up to him fast and it took everything Oliver had to save himself from tripping over something in the darkness. Running with only the moonlight to guide him, the prince didn't look back to see how close the men were. But his running was cut short when he tripped, yelping as he tumbled down a small hill until he hit a tree. The pink haired man groaned as he felt pain throughout his whole body and heard the faint calling of the group men. He saw a dark figure above him and was about to protest as it picked him up, but he blacked out before he could say anything.

Oliver slowly woke up to find himself in a small bed, which was slightly uncomfortable, but a bed above anything. His eye sight cleared away the blurriness as he slowly sat up, but soon felt the pain in his legs and head. It was then that he noticed a small bandage on his cheek and a large one on his side. How did that happen? He thought, pushing down the small panicky feeling rising as he looked around his new surroundings. Most of the light came from a large fire place in the middle of the area and he could see a large table scattered with books and scrolls. There was other furniture as well but not much; two chairs, the bed, and two large shelves full of books. Oliver realized he was in someone's home, but it was too small for more than one or two people to stay in. He suddenly tensed up as he heard the door open, watching as someone entered the place. With a quick and slightly painful move, the pink haired man hid himself under the blanket, unsure of what this person was going to do next. He could have run off when he first woke up, but his legs felt like jelly from the previous running.

"You're awake." The new voice spoke up and Oliver recognized the French accent easily behind its deepness. He slowly pulled the blanket down to see who was the owner of the accented voice. Much to the prince's relief, it wasn't the man from earlier, but a man with long, blond hair pulled back into a loose ponytail and the beginning fuzz of a beard around his lips, chin and cheeks. The man looked no older than a good 5 or 6 years older than the prince's age of 24, but his eyes looked old and tired. A man with tired eyes? That puzzled Oliver as he nervously spoke up, "Y-Yes I am. Are you the one who brought me here?" The man nodded as he sat down at the table, "Your friends were making too much noise and it was annoying." The freckled man looked away, his earrings flickering against the firelight, "They were not my friends. I was enjoying my time alone and they ruined it by chasing me down. I was handling them on my own..." The other man looked down at the book in his hand, scoffing, "Yes, and look at where that got you. A cut on your cheek and a gash in your side, oh yes, you definitely handled yourself, Your Highness." Oliver quickly stood up onto his feet, which was a bad idea because he began to wobble, and shot a glare at the other man. "I was doing fine on my own! If it was day time I could have easily lost them and headed back home without a worry!" The man looked unimpressed when he glanced at Oliver, "Lay back down before you pass out on my floor." The freckled man huffed and sat back down on the bed, too tired to really argue with the other. Though, he shouldn't since the man did clean up his scratches and let him sleep on his bed. "Thank you...for helping me tonight..."

A grunt came from the blond but he didn't speak up or look at him again, only focusing on his book. Leaning against the wall behind him, Oliver sighed looking at the fire and letting the silence continue before he broke it again. "How did you know I was the prince?" A page was flipped, "Not that hard to figure out when you're wearing royal clothing and the only one with that weird pink hair." The prince subconsciously pet his hair down, "Well...you know my name but I do not know the name of the one who helped me. May I ask what it is?" That made the other man glanced at him, "It's Francis, Francis Bonnefoy and this is my home that you will be leaving first thing in the morning." He went back to his book, making Oliver huff again as he folded his arms, "I don't want to take over your bed. I can stay up till sunrise..." Francis sighed gave an annoyed look, "Stop being stubborn and just sleep. You're starting to annoy me now." The freckled man glared tiredly at the Frenchman, but soon yawned and laid back down, grumbling as he slowly drifted back to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

((Chapter 3 for all who are reading! 0 7 0)/

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Oliver woke up just minutes after the sunrise, yawning as he wiped the sleep from his eyes and felt the bandage on his cheek. When his eyes came into focus, he remembered that he wasn't in his room but in the small home in the forest. With a small groan, he pulled himself out of the rough bed and slipped on his shoes that were set neatly on the floor. The freckled man fixed his hair and secured his earrings then walked outside, figuring since he was alone in the house, his so called 'host' was outside. The Frenchman was leaning against the wall, dressed in simple clothing; shirt, trousers, and boots. Now with sunlight coming through, the prince got a better look at the man who helped him last night. The blond hair seemed to be lighter than it was last night and bags under the taller man's eyes from lack of sleep were now visible under the sunlight. Francis looked down at Oliver, annoyance and slight relief in his light purple eyes, "You're awake. Good. The sooner you leave the sooner I can get back to my peace and quiet." The pink haired man frowned, "I didn't sleep well...why you are in such a hurry to get rid of me?" The blond began to walk away, which was Oliver's immediate sign to follow him, "As I said before, I don't want to be bothered by people. I enjoy my peace and quiet." That put a scowl on the prince's face, "You don't really mean that do you? No one can really go a long time being alone out in the woods." Francis didn't look at him, only continuing to look forward, "I can, I have and I will continue to do so for as long as I live there." He stopped and looked at Oliver, "I also don't need any distractions from any royalty." The look in his eyes was dark and the shorter man knew what it meant; it was a warning.

He didn't comment on it, only looked away, and then the Frenchman spoke again, "There. The palace is just that way so I'm sure you can find your way back on your own." Strange, most people will take a royal home to claim a gift of gold. "Thank you, for your help, Francis Bonnefoy." The other man grunted then turned to leave, signaling that this was their departure. Oliver watched as the man walked off before heading back towards the palace, smelling this morning's breakfast being cooked as he came up to the wall. The prince made his way around through the quiet halls of his home till he found his room. Flopping onto the soft blankets, he gave a sigh of relief and fell asleep till a maid came to wake him again. Maids came in and prepared his bath and clothing for him then woke up the young man, who almost didn't get up. Reluctantly, he pulled himself to the bathroom and pulled off his dirty clothes and the bandage on his side. Francis wasn't kidding, there is a gash, he thought, gazing at his wound that he probably got from hitting a large rock. It wasn't deep but it still stung when he slipped into the warm water, relaxing and he began to think. Part of his thinking involved knowing he will get snapped at by his father but most of it was focused on Francis.

After his bath and getting dressed in simple clothing, exchanging his green dangling earrings for blue ones, the prince joined everyone outside. It was a nice summer morning, so they decided to eat outside in the garden. He gave a small smile to Alfred as he sat down, "Good morning everyone." he mumbled as he grabbed a few sausages and some eggs. "Where were you, Oliver? No one could find you at all yesterday evening and one of the maids said you appeared in your bed this morning." Oliver completely ignored his father and looked over towards Alaric, "Lord Alaric, have you seen the stables yet? We have a handful of new mares from the hills near the Southern border that are quite fast. They're just as strong as they are beautiful." His father slightly growled as his friend just chuckled, "Do not disrespect me in front of our guests, Oliver! Where were you and how did you get that bandage on your cheek?" Alaric just chuckled and patted his old friend's shoulder, "Thomas, let the lad eat his food. He probably just walked around the grounds and fell down, but he's perfectly alright now so calm down." A small smile appeared on the prince's face, mentally thanking the other man for helping him out. He finished his breakfast before everyone else and tried to get away before anyone couls speak but the king spoke up. "Oliver, you should spend some time with Alfred. The young man is new here and has no one else to talk to."

Oliver gave a small whine but agreed, "Fine. It's better than dealing with my lessons today..."He looked at Alfred and gave the bright blond man a genuine smile, "Come on Alfred, let's leave these old men to their talking." The other man nodded and stood up linked his arm with Oliver's leading him away like a proper gentleman. A small blush came across the freckled cheeks as they left their fathers alone to talk over the latest events. "Sorry, if I scared you there for a second, Your Highness. I was told I should be courting you and I'm a bit unsure on what I should do to impress you." The prince's blush darkened at the word 'courting', he'd never been courted before so this was new to him. He couldn't really focus on Alfred, when his mind was on the rude Frenchman from last night. He had many questions for Francis and he wanted them answered soon or they'd bug him to death.

"So, Your Highness..." The other began to speak, "You can call me Oliver, Alfred. There's no need for formalities here." Alfred chuckled, "Sorry, it's just a habit. But anyways, do you have any hobbies?" The prince thought for a second then looked up at his guest, "Well, I like to read and write occasionally. But my favorite hobby would have to be cooking. My dad always tells me it's not something that a prince should be doing but I enjoy it. I was interested in it as a child, watching the chefs cook, whether it was just for us or our guests. I didn't actually start cooking until I was about 14 and I enjoyed it." Oliver smiled brightly; he really enjoyed cooking despite his father always getting mad about it. "Sometimes I cooked my father's dinners and he never found out that it was me!" That made the sunny blond man laugh, "How devious of you, Oliver! You could fool other's into thinking their chefs cooked their food when it really was you!" The freckled man gave smirked, "Of course! I may be the prince of the north, but I'm just as clever as any man in the city!" The two of them shared a good laugh, "Well now, I better be on my best behavior then! Hehe...as much as cooking sounds good for you, I just like to do a little sword play and do anything that lets me stay outside." Sword fighting was probably no problem for him with those broad shoulders and his body type, the prince thought. "Hmm...Maybe you could help me with my lessons sometime, Alfred. It will help me greatly and I could have more opponents then my instructor." This made his apparent fiancé happy and the tall blond instantly agreed to help Oliver with his sword lessons.

The whole morning was spent with them talking, but Oliver's mind was still focused on Francis. He had to get away and find his way back to that small home in the forest to talk to the man. When lunch time came around, he took his chance, "Umm...Alfred, I'm not feeling too good so I'm going to lay down okay? I'll see you at dinner time." The other man blinked then nodded, "Alright, Oliver. I'll see you later, hope you feel better." Oliver didn't want to lie to Alfred, he didn't deserve to be lied to, but the risk of him telling his father was too great. He patted the taller man's shoulder then left down to his room till he was out sight, then made his way towards the kitchen.

Dodging servants and even his father, the pink haired man made it through to the kitchen without any trouble. Exploring the halls since he was child has proven to be quite helpful to the young prince. He slipped through the kitchen, waving to the cook and his helpers, and making it outside where he saw Matthew carrying a crate full of apples. "Oliver? What are you doing?" He called out to the running man, "I forgot something in the forests, Matthew! I'll be back before this evening so keep the door unlocked for me!" He yelled back running over to his hidden spot and slipping through the hole without a problem. Oliver made his way to the stream from last night, seeing it clearly made it look much nicer than it was last night. Hoping over it, he looked around to see which way he was supposed to go, hearing the sounds of footsteps. Thinking it was the men from last night, the freckled man gasped and hid behind a large tree as the footsteps got closer. Oliver closed his eyes and kept quiet until there came a voice, "Who's there?" It was Francis' voice and the freckled man perked up and slowly poked his head around to greet the Frenchman. "Good afternoon, Francis." A sigh came from the taller man, one of relief with a bit of annoyance. "Kid, what are you doing back here? I'm not helping you out again if you get in trouble again. You're on your own if that happens." Oliver stepped out of his spot and walked over to the Frenchman, "I came back because I wanted to talk to you. I have questions and I know you have answers, so I came to find you again."

"Non. Go home and leave me alone." Francis turned to walk away and heard the small footsteps follow him. "Please, Francis? They're just simple questions and if you find them too personal then you can stop talking." The blond man stopped walking and thought it over, seeing the bright blue eyes begging for an answer, then sighed. "I'm going to regret this later...fine, fine. Just don't ask too many questions and don't annoy me, Your Highness." A smile grew on Oliver's face and he joined Francis' side, "Call me Oliver and thank you!" With a long sigh, the Frenchman turned and walked again back to his home with the prince following him close by. They made it to the small home within a few minutes, which Oliver took the time to see where he was at. They seemed to be close to being in the middle of the forest, but close enough to easily get to the nearby town and the palace. He sat down on the bed to keep out of the way as Francis picked up books off the floor, sitting down in the empty chair. "Alright. Ask your silly questions."

The questions began to flood Oliver's mind, making it harder to pick just one or ask them all at once. He went with the simplest of questions first, "Why are you living alone out here in the woods?" The blond picked up a book that was left open on the table and glanced at it, "Easy. I like my solitude and I don't like being around people. I like the forest because I don't have to be bothered by people and it's easier to relax with the quietness." The prince hummed, "It is pretty nice to be in the forest...what do you do out here alone then?" This made Francis look at him with a look of disbelief, "Isn't it obvious to you? I read, study, write, and ignore the outside world and its stupidity." The Frenchman flipped a page, "I have no business with that town of yours and I rather keep it that way. The only time I have to deal with them is when I have to pick up a few supplies like food and more writing materials." Oliver looked at the many scrolls, books, and pens on the table; it was quite obvious on what the other man liked to do. "You're a writer? What do you write?"

A small hum came from the Frenchman, "I prefer 'self-made' scholar and I mostly write about philosophy and other small writings." The freckled man raised his eyebrows, "What kind of writings?" The blond gave an annoyed look to Oliver, making him lean back on the bed. "Okay...so you live out here, by yourself, and most of the time you read or write. Don't you have any family or at least a wife?" Francis looked back down to his book, "You are getting nosy. No more questions, kid, now go home." The prince huffed, "I have more questions though. You can't just answer a few then tell me to leave." The larger man glared at him, "It's my home and I just did. Now leave. I don't need to be bothered by some spoiled kid who has nothing better to do then annoy me." There was no point in arguing since the man was right and Oliver was just a guest who was clearly unwanted. He stood up, brushing off his pants, "I'm not kid. I'm past the legal age of being an adult...anyways, I'll leave you alone now but I want to talk to you more." A long sigh came from the older man, the light purple eyes glancing in him with pure annoyance, "Why?"

"You have sparked my interest, Francis. I've never met anyone quite like you and I want to know more about Francis Bonnefoy, the man of the forest." He chuckled, a small smile growing across his face. Francis sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get rid of this person as easily as he thought he could. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of what to say to Oliver, who seemed to be anxious about his answer. "Only in the afternoons and you have to leave before sunset. I don't need your people coming here and bothering me." The Frenchman was going to regret this but if it will make the younger man leave him alone faster, then he'll bear through it. Oliver gasped, "Merci, Francis! Same time tomorrow, I promise!" He headed for the door, "Thank you for today's conversation! Good afternoon and see you later!" With that, the pink haired man was out of the small home and heading back home. Once the door was closed, Francis shook his head, running his fingers through his hair and shaking his head. He stared at his messy table for a few seconds before scoffing and picking up his book he had open.

Oliver made it home just in time to get ready for dinner and meet up with everyone, smiling happily as he washed up. Meeting with Francis secretly in the forest to talk and distract him from the whole mess of his so called 'princely duties' was definitely something good. It made him feel rebellious towards his father and what the king has planned for him. Though keeping this was secret and making sure no one would find out would prove to be a challenge. He gladly accepted it without hesitation; and any consequences that will come if he were discovered.


	4. Chapter 4

((And the story continues!))

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It became a daily ritual for Oliver; he'd attend his lessons in the morning, spend time with Alfred till after lunch time, then come up with some silly excuse to get away and sneak out to Francis' home. No one suspected really because the king was always distracted with talking to his friend and Alfred shrugged it off like it was nothing, knowing he'd see the prince in the evening. The only one who knew exactly where Oliver was going was Matthew and he hesitantly didn't argue about it or tell anyone. This had been happening for a month now, but even within that time, Francis still didn't give him much information. All the information he knew was simple things: favorite things to do, likes, dislikes and Francis pretending to listen to Oliver when he told the Frenchman what he liked to do. He found out the Frenchman was just 5 years older than him, but the prince still wondered why he looked so tired and why he never talked about his personal life. The freckled young man didn't comment on it or pressure the man into telling him. Francis Bonnefoy...I've known you for a month now and you're still a mystery to me, he always thought to himself.

Waking up just after sunrise, Oliver cleaned up and dressed in simple clothing of a shirt, vest, trouser and shoes. Dressing in light clothing made it easier to hike through the woods and climb over rocks and branches. It was September, the leave slowly turning color and the cool wind coming through were signs that fall was nearing. The prince loved the fall and winter months the best, it was the perfect time to sit by the warm fire and read. He joined everyone at the breakfast table with a sweet smile, knowing he'd be seeing his new friend later on in the day. He was lost in a day dream when his father spoke up to him. "Oliver!" The pink haired man jumped, making his earrings jingle together, "Y-Yes father?!" His bright blue eyes blinked in surprise as he looked at the king, "I was saying that Alaric and I would like to see Alfred and you spar today using real swords. Alfred recently told us that you've slightly approved in your fighting stance and I want to see it."

Oliver smiled nervously, "Ah, y-yes of course! After breakfast we can give you small show!" He mentally kicked himself for this, knowing he's going to make a fool of himself. The freckled man hasn't proved as much as his tutor/fiancé had said, in fact he figured he'd gotten worse. "Then it will definitely be a show to see, Oliver." Alaric chuckled, giving him a slight smirk that Oliver hated. The four of them finished breakfast in chuckles and small bets on who would win in their spar. It was obviously going to be Alfred, even if the blond with sky blue eyes went easy on him. They all met in the large wide space in the garden, with a few servants holding swords and padding for the two men. The swords were welded to be blunt and dull, but they were live steel. They wouldn't slice through a body, but they could leave cuts and bruises. With his father watching, Oliver suddenly felt sick to his stomach but pushed back the feeling as best as he could as his chest and neck were covered for protection. Seeing his opponent in front of him made the prince sigh. Alfred truly did look like a knight, strong handsome knight, but the freckled man didn't have any deeper feelings for him. He only saw the young blond as a good friend and nothing else.

"Well alright then! You two can talk to each other later after this!" The king spoke up, making the two young men get into position. "It will end when the first person is down! Begin!" The servants stepped back to give the fighters some room as they began to slowly get closer. Alfred had an excited smile on his face, "Just like we practiced Oliver. Keep on your feet flat on the ground and don't jump around too much." The prince nodded and gasped once his opponent swung at him, making step back quickly. Oliver only defended himself as Alfred swung at him nonstop, only yelping when one swing hit his thigh. He slumped a bit but it didn't make him fall, "Don't just stand there, Oliver! Fight back!" His father called out, obviously not wanting his son to lose this spar. Catching his breath, the freckled man found his footing and ran towards the taller man in front of him, swinging the sword in his hands. He managed to hit Alfred's shoulder before being blocked and pushed back, nearly tripping but catching his footing. With the two older men calling and egging them on, all Oliver wanted was for this to end. The spar was over once the taller man caught the prince off guard, hitting the side of his leg and making him trip and fall flat on his ass. The freckled man gasped and looked up, seeing the blunt end of Alfred's sword pointed in his face. His opponent was smiling in triumph as he bent down to help Oliver up as their fathers clapped and grumbled. Alaric was happy but he could see the disappointment that was only for the prince, in Thomas' weary face.

Oliver's attention was more focused on the new pain in his side and on his thigh, feeling the bruises slowly rising. "Good show boys! You did quite well but, I say, Oliver, you could use some work on keeping focus during a fight. Above all, you both did well, am I right Thomas?" The bearded man looked over to his friend who waved a hand dismissively, "It was okay. I think he could have done betterif he could get his head out of the clouds." The king didn't even look at his son as he got up to leave, making Oliver lower his head and bite his bottom lip. He still doesn't approve..., the young man thought, doing his best not to show how hurt he was. A tug on his sleeve made Oliver look up to see Alfred smiling down at him, helping him remove his protective garb. "Hey, if anything, I think you did pretty damn good, Oliver." He whispered to the saddened prince, making him slightly smile, "Thanks Alfred...excuse me, I want to be alone..."Oliver felt ashamed as he pulled away from his friend and lost himself in the garden, slowly heading to the hidden exit in the wall.

Before heading to Francis' house, the prince stopped by the stream to check on where he was hit. There was a beginning dark purple bruise rising on his side, making the many freckles on him look enlarged and swollen. He hissed and figured the on the outside of his thigh was probably just as dark. Oliver groaned and pulled himself up to his feet again preparing to jump over the stream. But when he did so, he slipped and landing right in the middle of the stream. "Are you serious?!" The prince exclaimed, pulling himself out of the water, his clothes soaked and dripping wet as he continued to his friend's home. When the door opened for him, Oliver was standing there shaking like a wet dog, making Francis chuckle at the sight. "What happened to you? You're a bloody mess."

"I-I fell in the water on my way here so stop laughing and get me something to dry off with, please." Oliver glared at the laughing Frenchman, who had to pull out the cigarette out of his mouth to stop himself from laughing. Seeing the prince look quite humiliated at the moment made today's meeting not as dreadful. The purple eyed man went and grabbed a cloth for Oliver dry himself with. The shorter man grumbled as he followed him inside sitting in one of the chairs and held himself for warmth. Francis tossed the cloth at Oliver then sat down in his usual spot, returning to finish his cigarette. "Odd. Usually you're bombarding me with questions by now. What's stopping you this time?" He raised an eyebrow at the prince, who dried his hair and his clothing as best as he could. Oliver snapped at him, "I don't want to talk about it." The Frenchman was amused at how defensive the freckled man was getting as he rested his cheek on a propped hand. With small chuckle, he spoke again, "Why not? I'm actually quite curious on to what crawled up your ass and made you so defensive."

Is he serious? The freckled man glared at Francis, "Why should I tell you what's wrong with me? You never tell me what's wrong. As a matter of fact, you don't tell me anything at all besides the small stuff so if you're not going to tell me about your life then I won't tell you mine." He pulled off his vest and squeezed it out, turning away from Francis, whose smile disappeared into a frown. Silence passed among the two men and usually the writer would welcome it, but right now he wasn't feeling relieved like he should be. He looked back at Oliver as he was wringing out his vest, noticing the wincing when the young man made a wrong twist in his body, making him softly whimper in pain. The Frenchman sighed, not liking that sound at all, especially when it came from Oliver. "Oliver, what happened?" His voice wasn't teasing or annoyed but in fact actually caring, making the prince bite his bottom lip. The freckled young man didn't look up, "I was in a sparring match and got hit in the side with a sword. It's bruised pretty badly and I feel woozy..." Oliver was surprised Alfred didn't knock his breakfast out of him during their fight. But what really caught him off guard right now was how Francis was sounding. It wasn't his usual annoyed sarcastic tone that came out every time the two of them talked. Francis stood up, grabbed the small cloth from Oliver and went to dunk it into a bucket of water, squeezing it out and walking back to the table. He stood in front of the smaller man and handed it back to him, "Press it against the bruise. The cold will ease the pain and make the swelling go down." Oliver looked up at him, confusion flickering in the bright blue eyes that Francis started to like. "Why...why are you helping me?"

"Look. You may be annoying as hell, Oliver, but I'm not going to sit and watch someone in pain trying to pull it off like its nothing. I'm not that much of an asshole." He waved a hand and went to sit back down in his chair, leaving the prince looking quite puzzled. Oliver slightly blushed and lifted his shirt to press the cloth to his side, flinching before relaxing. His friend was right; it did help a little bit. Now his mind was off of his father and focused on Francis' sudden caring side; he was conflicted. "I don't understand...I thought you didn't like me. Why are you suddenly helping me?"

Francis had picked up a book and began writing in it, not looking up as he wrote, "Like I said, you're annoying as hell, but you're starting to grow on me, kid. I actually like your company." He expected the younger male to start jumping up and down in happiness but Oliver was just looking at him with complete shock. "What is it now? Isn't that something good you want to know about?" The prince blinked, "N-No...I didn't expect...this whole time I thought I've been annoying you and you just didn't have the heart to tell me to scram. I know I've been getting on your nerves this past month but you're the only one who will actually listen." The pen stopped moving and deep chuckle came from Francis, "I could have easily kicked you out of home that night we met and I could of easily ignored you when you asked to come back."

"Then why didn't you?"

Francis looked up at his young friend, a hint of enjoyment in his tired eyes, "I'll let you figure that out on your own." He gave a small smile and watched as Oliver's freckled face turned a bright pink. He's never smiled at me like that before! What is this man planning?

The pain from the bruise dulled and soon the prince's clothing were dry. He didn't want to walk home with damp clothing. It would be hard to explain to everyone. "So…does this mean we're friends now? Or are we still the writer and his obnoxious guest?" A hum came from the Frenchman as he was thinking, and then he looked at Oliver with another small smile. "We are friends. I haven't had any friends in a long time, I guess now is a good start." That large bright smile, that Francis started to enjoy, came across Oliver's face, "Thank you Francis!" He bounced out of his seat and hugged his new friend, catching Francis off guard. With a sigh, the scruffy man patted the younger one's back. "Yea, yea…Just don't make a big deal about it, squirt." Oliver leaned back so they're face to face, continuing to smile for the other man. That smile made Francis feel happy inside, a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time. Actually, everything about Oliver made the lonely Frenchman feel happy. He wanted more of those smiles and to see that same smile of excitement and happiness. Francis sighed, shook the thoughts away and looked down at Oliver.

Oliver hugged Francis tightly. When he felt his arms move to hug the prince back, it made him smile even more. Knowing that the Frenchman didn't hate him and also agreed that they were friends made the prince overjoyed. Someone to talk to and who would actually listen instead of pushing him aside and ignoring him. Oliver's blue eyes met with those tired purple ones that flickered with surprised. He found himself studying Francis' facial features for a good minute; looking at each detail from the scruff of a starting beard to the color in his cheeks. Oliver knew that if Francis shaved the scruff, he'd look much younger then he actually was. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Francis' gently before pulling back and blushed. "S-Sorry..! I-I didn't mean to do that!" Francis didn't say anything, making the younger man even more nervous and embarrassed. Oliver began to pull away to give the other some space but felt a strong grip on his wrist pulling him back. The scruffy man kissed him right back then pushed him away, "Go home, Oliver."

"I-I can explain, Francis I didn't mean-" The prince was cut off by a hand raised in front of him, "Just, go home. No conversation for today. Go home and relax so that bruise can heal better." Francis' voice didn't sound mean but it was unwelcoming, making Oliver's stomach turn. He obeyed, stepping away from the other and grabbing his vest. With a frown, the freckled man headed towards the door, knowing he stepped over their boundaries. "C-Can I come back tomorrow? Did I...just ruin our new friendship?" A long sigh came from Francis as he shook his head, "Non, Oliver. You didn't do anything bad. Go on, get going." He shooed Oliver away and once the prince left his quiet home, he let out a small curse before grabbing his book and pen, starting to write to get his mind distracted.

On the way back home, Oliver couldn't help but feel as if he ruined their friendship, despite the other saying he didn't. He sighed and slipped through the hidden entrance in the wall and headed towards the kitchen. There was no sight of Matthew, who was usually carrying crates of food or helping with the cooking. Maybe he's working inside today…, Oliver thought, grabbing an apple and slowly munching on it as he headed for his room, hoping he wouldn't run into his father. Much to his luck, he didn't but he did catch Alaric in his room looking at his collection of jewelry on his dresser. "Lord Alaric, one usually asks to enter a prince's room before entering it. Please leave." His words were polite but his voice sounded annoyed and tired. A chuckle came from the older man as he looked over towards the young prince, "Forgive me Oliver. I was just remembering when your father had this room when he was a younger man. He always told me it had the best view and he could stay in here all day if he wanted to."

To stay in here with no distractions would be wonderful right now, but it looked like Oliver wouldn't even have that. He walked over and sat on his bed, pulling off his slightly damp shoes, "Can I help you with anything, Lord Alaric?" The other man hummed, "I wanted to congratulate you on your spar today. You may have lost but you handled yourself quite well for someone so skinny." The prince scoffed, "Thank you but as you saw earlier, my father doesn't approve of it. It wasn't good enough for him." The bearded man walked over and patted Oliver on the shoulder, giving his best smile. "Thomas has high hopes for you, Oliver. He wants to see you succeed. He may not show it much, but you are his pride and joy; the only son of the kingdom and he wants you to be the best." The young man groaned, "He treats me like a child! I don't want to be bothered by him anymore…thank you, Lord Alaric, but unless something changes I'm going to go against what he wants." Oliver flopped down on the bed, "Please leave, I wish to be alone…" Alaric didn't speak, only hummed and nodded before leaving the younger man alone in his room. "My dear Oliver, your change just might come sooner than you think."

Oooh, what do you think he meant by that? ;D


	5. Chapter 5

((Thank for everyone whose been reading! I really want to know what you all think so far! Don't be afraid to give me a review or two!))

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That afternoon, since he wasn't out in the woods, was spent napping until it was time for dinner and Oliver definitely didn't want to move. His whole mind was focused on the two kisses Francis and he shared before he was told to leave. Did I make him mad? Was it wrong of me? The prince thought, but it didn't feel wrong to him at all. He could still feel the Frenchman's chapped lips against his own soft pink ones, making the younger man madly blush. The prince sighed, running his fingers through his strawberry pink hair, "What am I thinking? He probably doesn't think of me more than just an obnoxiously loud friend." A small groan came out when he curled up on the side that had his new bruise, making him roll over to the other side with a huff. "He was actually worried about my bruise...he kissed me back when I kissed him..." Oliver blushed, remembering how shocked Francis was at his little notion and how he leaned up to kiss him back. He sighed and closes his eyes, "I think I'm falling for the quiet man in the woods...how foolish of me..." A prince like him shouldn't be falling for a simple man he met in the woods...no matter how soft the kisses were or how much they cared when you were hurt.

Dinner time came around and it wasn't as lively as previous ones have been recently. Alaric and his father were talking as usual but Alfred was nowhere to be found. "Now this is an odd turn of events. Instead of Oliver missing, it's Alfred. Where's your boy, Alaric?" His father spoke up, looking around to see if the young blond, with the funny cowlick, would appear. The bearded man hummed, "I'm not sure. Last I saw him he was reading in the library, but no worries. Alfred doesn't take long on his disappearance unlike Oliver, who's always distracted by something." Oliver shot him a glare but the elder man just chuckled, "Easy now, lad, I'm only teasing ya'. Whatever you do in the afternoons is no one's business but your own." The prince sighed and sipped at his drink, "Thank you, Lord Alaric for understanding." Thomas grumbled, "I've been wondering where you have been disappearing each afternoon. You're not going into that forest again are you?" Oliver was quick to defend himself, "Of course not! I've just been hiding away in the maze in the garden. I just like being alone to think and study without distractions!" His father raised an eyebrow at his son, "You are no longer a child Oliver. When I leave, I expect you to change your naive ways and take on your duties with full focus." The prince raised an eyebrow, "You're leaving?" The king nodded, "There is trouble in the Western kingdom and I'm needed there. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning and will be gone for a week, so Alaric will be in charge here to manage the palace and to keep you in check." Oliver didn't know what to hate; the fact that his father still treating him like a silly child or the fact that he was leaving his home to his friend that he didn't trust. He suddenly lost his appetite at that point, "I see...well then, I will make sure the palace is kept together and that Lord Alaric performs his duties correctly."

"You will attend to your lessons and keep out of trouble, Oliver. That is all." The king replied without looking at his son. The freckled man stood up, frustrated and angry with his father, "With all due respect father, I do not like how you've been treating me. Always treating me like I'm not good enough for your standards and like I'm a stupid child! You've been doing this ever since mother died and I'm tired of it!" His body shook with anger and pain but Oliver didn't back down. His father glared at him, "This is exactly what I mean. You are acting like a child instead of an adult who doesn't know how to properly talk to people. I'm trying to train you to be a strong minded prince of the Northern Kingdom." The prince groaned, "No, father, you're trying to turn me into someone like you." His voice was full of poison as he pulled away from the table and dropped his napkin, "Excuse me, I've lost my appetite." Oliver left the room, making sure to slam the door before walking down the hall towards his room. The silence of the dark halls made him relax a bit as he slowly walked up to his room.

On the way there, he heard a bumping sound come from one of the rooms, making the pink haired man raise an eyebrow in curiosity. Slowly walking to the room the bumping came from, he quietly peeked inside but soon stopped himself at the sounds. Moans and gasps came, which sounded like two men. Oliver then heard Alfred's voice speak up and he just knew what was happening in the room there. The prince stepped back, appalled and disgusted as he shook his head ran to his room and slammed the door. Even though he had no deeper feelings for the other man, Oliver still felt hurt that Alfred will do such a thing behind his back. The freckled man was a mixture of anger, sadness, and pain as he curled up on the bed and screamed into the pillow. All the people in his home made him frustrated and the only one that made him feel so happy and relaxed was all the way in the forest. A hot tear fell down his cheek as he curled up on the bed and hugged the pillow. Suddenly, Oliver didn't want to be anywhere else but in the forest with his unlikely friend and he still didn't know why.

The next morning, the prince refused to come out of his room for anything; not even for food or to say good bye to his father. The king's carriage was just about to leave as the two old friends spoke on the way there. "He's a troublesome boy. I don't know where he gets it from!" Alaric chuckled and patted his friend's shoulder, "The young lad is a wild one. He's a feisty one like his mother was when she was that age. Remember how feisty she was before you two got together?" Thomas sighed, remembering his late wife that had the same pink hair as Oliver did with the same many freckles. "Aye, she was a beauty though." The bearded man smiled, "Maybe you were a bit too harsh on the lad. He has his mother's wild spirit and that can be quite good for the future of the kingdom. Don't worry, Thomas, I will keep an eye on him and make sure he's alright." The king sighed, "Thank you, Alaric. I hope these problems in the Western kingdom won't take too much time." With that he slipped into the carriage leaving as his friend waved him good bye.

During the whole departure, Oliver was watching from his window, sighing in slight relief once his father's carriage disappeared. Now that his father was gone, the freckled man had to find a way to leave to the forest without Alaric or Alfred catching him. He felt smothered in his own home and had to get out there soon before he screamed in frustration. Francis' home was full of relaxation; with the sounds of birds chirping and the nearby stream. He envied the Frenchman for having such a lovely and quiet place to call 'home' with no one but the prince himself to bother him. Thinking about the Frenchman's home turned to just thinking about Francis himself. His name sent shivers through Oliver's body and made his heart beat faster at the thought of him. Oliver stood there in shock, when he realized what was happening to him, making a bright pink blush rise on his freckled cheeks. He couldn't explain why but the prince fell in love with the scruffy man who seem like he didn't want Oliver around but still let him stay in his home.

"I-I have to talk to him..."He softly replied to himself, slowly pulling himself up to his feet. Slipping on his shoes and securing his earrings, the prince quietly walked out of his room and down the hall. His tears came back as the feeling of relief and possible rejection swept through him, making his chest twist. Oliver made himself walk out to the garden but froze when his name was called. "Oliver, you're out of you room, good!" It was Alfred's voice, someone he didn't want to see let alone speak to right now. He turned and looked up at the other man, who frowned when he saw Oliver's puffy red eyes. "What happened? Are you okay?" A small sniffle came out as the prince wiped his eyes, "Too much stress and worry has just gotten the best of me Alfred...I'll be fine. I just wanted to get some fresh air." The taller man sighed, "Do you want to go get something to eat? I heard you didn't eat much last night and skipped breakfast."

"N-no...please, Alfred. I appreciate you worrying about me but I just...want to be alone..."_ Alone, with Francis where no one will bother us in the woods… _The blond man sighed but nodded, "Alright, Oliver. Don't stay out too long...it's getting chilly out here and it looks like it's going to rain." He pet the prince's hair and turned to go back inside, leaving Oliver standing there for a few seconds before running off to his hidden exit. Soon he was in the forest; the smell of pine and evergreen filling his nostrils. Oliver loved the forest, his home outside of home where he can get away and see Francis. He made it to the Frenchman's home, but stopped himself from knocking on the door. A wave of sudden fear washed over him, making the young man lower his head and stare at the ground. He won't accept me...he'll think I'm mad..., the thoughts of seeing Francis looking at him with disgust made his chest knot painfully. Oliver whimpered and sniffled at the thought; he didn't want to lose a friend with his own feelings. His mind was focused on his 'what if' thoughts that he didn't hear the door open, only Francis' voice. "Oliver?" The prince looked up with puffy red eyes at the Frenchman, who in returned frowned at the sight of him. Oliver couldn't speak up at first, so he straightened up and hugged the other man tightly.

With a sigh, Francis pulled the smaller man into his home and shut the door, letting him sit on the bed. He noticed the tear stains on Oliver's cheeks and how troubled the crystal blue eyes looked as he looked around for a clean cloth. Once he did, the quiet man dunked it in some water and handed it to the prince, letting him wipe his face. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" A few more sniffles came out as the younger man wiped his eyes with the cool wet cloth. He avoided any eye contact with the other as he spoke, "I...I-It's nothing...just too much going on things that I don't understand..."

"Like what?"

Oliver quietly scoffed, "Just silly things you don't want to hear about."

"You don't know that. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't want to know."

He really wants to know? But how am I going to tell him...? The prince shook his head, "I'm angry at my father for the decisions he made and what he told me. I ended up yelling at him and leaving the dinner table and then on my way to my room I heard my apparent fiancé having sex with someone. I felt so angry and hurt that all I wanted to do was come here last night. Then this morning you-..." Oliver silenced himself, biting his bottom lip to stop himself from speaking any further.

Francis listened to everything closely then raised an eyebrow, "What about me?" He sat down across from the younger man, propping his knee on the table. "Y-You won't like what I tell you..." The prince's voice cracked but the Frenchman just sighed. "Oliver stop acting silly and just tell me what is on your mind." Oliver slipped his shoes off and pulled his legs up to hug them tightly. "You came to mind this morning and it made me feel relieved that you were here to help me forget my troubles. You've been on my mind since I left yesterday and I didn't understand it until now." He could feel new tears stinging his eyes but he continued, "Despite you not liking me, Francis, I always come here and feel relieved and happy to talk to you because you actually listened to me. I know I annoy you but I...I fell in love with you and I didn't even realize it until this morning."

Oliver's tears poured down his cheeks, "I love you Francis. I know I'm just an annoying fool who always bothers you but I've grown to love your quiet and simple self. I'm sorry...I'm sor-...!" Before he could finish, rough hands held his cheeks gently and he felt warm lips on his own. It took a few seconds for Oliver to realize Francis was kissing him, and he hesitated before kissing back. They shared a long, passionate kiss, that made Oliver's face warm up with a deep blush. When he pulled back, he looked up at the other man with most puzzled and shocked look he could give him.

"I-I don't understand. Why did you...?" He could see a small smile rise on the scruffy face, making Francis look brighter and younger. "You are a pain in the ass, Oliver. But you've grown on me..." He placed a small kiss on Oliver's cheek, "Vous avez fait ce solitaire Français tomber amoureux à nouveau."* Oliver bit his bottom lip, understanding the French perfectly as he wrapped his arms around his new love. His scent of pine and paper made the young prince relaxed as he nuzzled into Francis' chest. When he looked up at the Frenchman, he had a large smile on his face, despite his eyes being puffy and red. That smile made Francis' own heart leap for joy, knowing the smile was meant only for him. The two of them sat on the bed, with Francis holding his little new lover in his arms until he was sure he was calm and relaxed.

"Vous avez fait ce solitaire Français tomber amoureux à nouveau."= 'You made this lovely Frenchman fall in love


End file.
